Members of the NAACP descended on Philadelphia today, as the State Supreme Court listened to arguments over a new photo ID law that could keep as many as 9 percent of Pennsylvania’s registered voters from casting a ballot in November.
Be warned, voter ID could be this year’s hanging chad, and the campaigns are preparing for the possibility of legal challenges come November 7.
As we’ve pointed out a number of times on the show, voter ID requirements could make it much harder for African Americans and Hispanics to vote, since they are far more likely than whites to lack government-issued photo ID. According to a recent study released by the Black Youth Project, turnout for young minority voters could drop by as many as 700,000 in November.
But, keep in mind, these laws impact everyone–including the elderly. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, 18 percent of Americans over the age of 65 don’t have photo ID, and getting one isn’t always that easy.
This is why the Obama campaign is out in the field with staff members who are making sure that voters are prepared for what awaits them at the polls on Election Day.
Michael Scotto Recommended
